Victims
by CrystalIceLover
Summary: Second challenge with Mindspsychoaddict. JJ will never leave the side of someone who needs comfort during their final days.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds, it's characters, or a zebra stuffed animal. I do however, have many stuffed bears, a pig, a giraffe... **

**The second challenge fanfic is up. I hope you guys like it. And this goes out to Mindspsychoaddict, who is AMAZING. Read her work. You won't regret it.**

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She sits beside her son, her fiancé beside her as she watches him struggle for air, tears streaming down her face. Why had this had to happen? She hates watching him in pain. It feels like a part of her heart is being ripped out. She runs a hand through his blonde hair as she watches him open his eyes and try to speak to her. Their five year old son is dying, and there is nothing that can be done. Five year olds should be running around with their friends, going to school and smiling instead of being in a hospital. His respiratory system was shutting down.

She turns towards the doctor who'd entered the room. As he spoke, she could feel her heart begin to break. Her weeks left with her son had been reduced to days. Turning back to her fiancé, his expression brought tears to her eyes. She hugged him and finally let the wave of tears fall. They stay there, huddled together as they let their grief bubble to the surface.

He leaves to go pick up the fragile pieces of what memories has left with his son. He doesn't want the only things he can remember about Henry are him lying in a hospital bed. She stays by his side as he falls asleep. She picks up the little zebra stuffed animal by his side. His favourite. She smiles through her tears as she remembers the day he was bought it. His godmother, who preferred to be called his fairy godmother, had bought it for him two years ago. She remembers the way his eyes had lit up when she'd handed it to him. He'd carried it around with him for months and couldn't sleep without having it beside him.

She heard the sound of rustling from the other side of the curtain. With the lack of rooms in the hospital, they'd split them in two. Placing the zebra beside Henry and running a hand through his hair, she walked over and pulled the curtain back. She was greeted by the pale figure of Mick Rawson sitting up on the bed. He was sweating, but was shivering as he looked up at her. JJ began to speak, her voice scratchy from lack of use, "Mick, what happened to you?"

"Tuberculosis," he whispered as he pulled another blanket around himself. She felt her heart tighten. The same disease that plagued her son. "I am going to die—"

"Don't say that," JJ responded sharply as she glanced back at Henry. "I'm sorry,"

"What?" JJ turned back around at the sound of Mick's voice. "What are you sorry for?"

"Your son," he nodded towards Henry, "He's sick, isn't he?"

JJ nodded, wringing her hands before looking up at Mick, "Where's your family?"

"In Britain," he answered, coughing.

"And your team?" JJ pressed, concerned. If Mick was dying, as he feared he was, he shouldn't be in a hospital room all alone.

"They're on a case in Dallas." Mick watched her with his eyes dull with pain.

JJ nodded quickly, glancing at the ceiling, "So is the other BAU team. On a case, not in Dallas," JJ was actually surprised Garcia wasn't here, trying to comfort her as her life fell apart. Thankfully the Pentagon had given her time off to spend with her son so she wouldn't be working distracted.

JJ moved closer to Mick, and he instantly moved away, explaining quickly that he was contagious. So JJ stayed where she was and said, "But there has to be someone, anyone, in Washington that knows and cares about you."

He paused for a moment before shaking his head slowly in response. Raising his head, he asked her hopefully, "If you're still going to be here, could you..."

"Stay?" Mick nodded, "Of course," and she did stay. She was there for both Henry and Mick when the light from their eyes faded. She was holding their hands, tears streaming down her cheeks as she told the victims of illness that it would be alright.

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**I hope you liked it. And if you didn't, tell me why so I can improve. As usual, all comments are welcome.**


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